THE collection of artifacts being unearthed at Abbey Weir in Tavistock is mounting, after more items were unearthed from the river bed last week. Staff from the Environment Agency, who are working with South West Water to build a new weir and screening system at Abbey Bridge, found the historic items while they were continuing construction of the third weir last Thursday. The main discovery was a large rock with an old coin embedded into its side, which was removed from the river bed. Dave French from the Environment Agency (pictured left) believes the coin may be a penny. He was also on the scene when a Victorian handle was removed from the weir, along with another object yet to be identified. These discoveries follow on from the large piece of granite discovered in August by the project team, who were constructing a ramp as part of the project to ease the migration of salmon to spawning beds further up the river. The granite slab was believed to have been used to make cannonballs. During the same dig a window buttress was also found, which was believed to have been from the old abbey. The work on Abbey Weir is being carried out by the Environment Agency on behalf of South West Water. The project, which attracts a continual stream of onlookers who view the work in the river from the viewpoint at Abbey Bridge, started at the end of July and is due to finish in around five to six weeks time. l Pictured right is Dave French of the Environment Agency, holding some of the most recent finds discovered in the River Tavy.
